Otgonchimeg Naranchuluun November 2013 History and future direction of Parliamentary research services in Mongolia Otgonchimeg Naranchuluun November 2013

1. History of establishment 2 1.History of establishment 2.Major duties of the current parliamentary research services and facing challenges 3.Future direction: capacity and effectiveness

Current status: Parliamentary research services in Mongolia are conducted by the “Research and Analysis Department” of the Secretariat of the State Great Khural (Parliament). The Research and Analysis Department consists of 18 staff members designated to provide research services: Head of the Department; Senior Researcher; 12 Researchers; 3 Librarians; and 3 Archive Service Officers.

1.History of establishment The current structure of Mongolian parliamentary research services has its route over two decades ago. As the result of the successful democratic revolution held in 1990, the state legislative power transferred to the Parliament (“Baga Khural”), elected from free, democratic and public election. This fact emerged to establish a new structure for research services for parliamentarians. 

In June 1991, the first structure of parliamentary research services was established in the name of “Academy of State and Society Researches”. Since this establishment, Mongolian parliamentary research services has witnessed 6 times amendments to its organizational structure as set out below:

A chronicle of establishment:   Research Centre at Parliament 1994 Only 2 researches were retained and research was outsourced 2000 Research, Analysis and Public Communication Centre at Parliament 2008 1991 “Academy of State and Society Researches” 1996 Information, research and Enquire Division at Legal Department of the Secretariat 2003 Policy Analysis Centre at Parliament 2013 Research and Analysis Department at the Secretariat

During these years staff number of the parliamentary research services was fluctuating depending on the amendments to the structure and function.

Organizational structure of the current parliamentary research services

2.Major duties of the current parliamentary research services and facing challenges: to prepare information and enquires regarding draft laws and legislations discussed at the State Great Khural (Parliament); to conduct comparative research at requests of Member of Parliament, Standing Committee, Sub-committee, Temporary committee and Secretariat of the Parliament; to compile thesis on challenging social, economic and legal issues for the researches to be undertaken by independent researchers;

to create database of researches, statistical information and legal documents; to collect research information from international and regional research organizations; to cooperate with governmental and non- governmental research organizations, universities and other organizations for the purpose of research services; to publish research reports; to organize a conference, workshop, seminar and training in regard to parliamentary research services.

Facing challenges: limited staff and unlimited requests for research; specialization of the staff; criterion for distingishing private/personal research requests from research requests relating to the parliamentary affairs; lack of foreign language skills to conduct comparative studies; insufficient fund to attract highly qualified proffesionals in researches.

3.Future direction: capacity and effectiveness In order to improve function of the parliamentary research services and enhance its role, following approaches have to be taken into account: Improvement of capacity; Effectiveness (usefulness) of research products.

a) In order to improve capacity of staff following are important: specialization of research staff; consistant training of research staff; exchange of research staff to gain experience in other research institution; expand possibility to involve highly qualified researchers in research areas.

b) To ensure effectiveness of research works it is important to: conduct reviews on reliability of research works by independent researchers; assess appication of research works.

Thank you for kind attention.